PERCIEVED INFLUENCE OF VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE ON BUSINESS STUDENTS’ CAREER CHOICES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the perceived influence of vocational guidance on business students’ career choices in secondary school in Kwara State, Nigeria. The main purpose of the study was to determine the perceived influence of vocational guidance on business students’ career choices in secondary school in Kwara State, Nigeria, specifically, two purposes were raised, from which two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated and test at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. One thousand seven hundred and fifty-five students in secondary schools in Kwara State made up the total population for the study. A sample of 305 (students) was drawn from the population using the research advisor sampling. The instrument used for the collection of data was a structured questionnaire titled Influence of Vocational Guidance on Business Students Career Choices in Secondary School Students’ Questionnaire (IVGBSCCSSSQ). Percentage and mean were used to answer the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using independent t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that vocational guidance has positive influence on business students’ career choices in secondary schools. It was concluded that the need for experienced vocational guidance at our secondary schools should be taken into serious consideration, as the destiny of the students and choices of careers depends on the monitoring and guidance received. It was recommended among others that there should be the availability of experienced vocational guidance at the school, who will guide the students based on records of achievement.

Keywords: Vocational Guidance, Business Students, Career Choices, Professional, Unemployment.